Locomotive and tender connection.



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specmeation 'of Letters Patent.

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npplceton tiled time in, i931?. Serial ite. Witwe:

the followingis a specification.

The objeetof my invention is to provide a connection for locomotive engines and tenders which .Will be of simple and inexpensive construction end ready applicability to standard torinsot Tira-ine construction, and in the operation of which, free relative vertical and horizontal movements ot the two connected vehicles will be permitted; slackness and lost motion, resultant upon Wear, he automatically taken up; and the use of chaing blocks be rendered unnecessary.I

The improvement claimed is. hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: lligure l is a plan view oit the middle portion ci the adjoining ends 4of a locomotive engine and tender, illustrating an application of inv fl, a horizontal section through a locking member, onthe line e. e oi Fign 2; Fig. -5, n plan View of one end of the coupling link, with the adjoining coupling pin in section; Fig. 6, e vertical transverse section, on the line w w vci. Fig. 2, ond; Fig. 7, a similar section, illustrating a structural modification.

ln the practice of my invention, referring descriptively to the specic embodiment thereof which is herein exempliied, the locomotive and tender are connected by an integral connecting member, in the form of a strep link, l, which is articulated, at its oppcste ends, to coupling pins, 2 and 4l, 4which are of similar construction, and ere, respectively, secured, removably, in a pocket, 3a, on the toot plate, 3, of the locomotive', and in'adraw' bar pin casting, 5, ofsuhstantielly rectangular section, Which is located oetween, andv rigidly secured to, the center sills, 7, andront end sill, 8a, ofthe tender...

'llhe coupling pins are tted in upper and lowerl sockets, 3" and 5b, cast integralwith the foot plate, 3and the draw bar pin casting, e, respectivelyu -sition. .lin the instance shown,

pins, are `fitted in the link,

,between tliel'n end the hearing blocks,

4 to the bearing ing slackness between the c( Spherical hearings, il, el, ere formed en the couplin pins, 2 and iladjacent to the middle of 'ieir lengtln below which hearings they are ci' tapered or conicel forni, and are fitted, directly, in their lower sockets, which are correspondingly bored. :The portion ci the coupling pins alcove their 'spheri-4 cal hearings, are also of tapered or conicel term, and ere fitted in the upper coupling Apin sockets,locls;1ng members heilig, ncrvever, interposed between the coupling pins and seid upper sockets, for the propose of maintaining the coupling pins ti ly in potlie locking' rnemlie's are in the torni ci plates, 9, en tending horizontally alcove the upper socltets end secured to the -toot plate, 3, and drew bur pin casting, 5, respectively, by bolts, 9a, said plates having, on their lower sides, edging bosses, 9", which ere turned cylin dricnlly tot in the upper sockets, bored in correspondence with the taper' ot the coupling pins, and split longitudinally, as shown in Fig ll, Iso as to be compressilole lill thereon. llt will he seen the-t by tightening the bolts, 9a, the Wedging action ci the split bosses, 9b, `will taire up any lost inoticnfhe tween the coupling pins and their sockets and hold said pins tightly in position therein,

Bearing blocks, 10,*'rvliich are' bored in correspondence with the surfaces or the spherical nea-rings, 2a ond el, of the coupling l, against seid hearings, adjustingloars, 1l, fitting between the side bars of the linlr, being interposed loetiveen the rear hearing bloei; cf the locomotive and the front heering telcel; ot the tender. The adjusting bers are prevented from vertical displacement 'oy lateral flanges on their tops, and lovver supporting hars, lla, bolted to the link, and weer or instinct/ion lll,

on which they abut, is ventonmtieally taken -up by a vertical self edjnszing wedge, l2,

which is interposed hetvv'eentlie adjacent ends of the adjusting hars, ll.v its shown in Figs. Q end 6, the Wedge, l2, is prevented from being accidentally displaced, by atransverse pin or cotter, l2, adjacent to its lower end, and acts, by its oirngravitv tok take. Vup weer cr lost motion,nnd .maintain the adjusting hars, 11,' in noi-mel relation blocks, 10', thereby prevee loting l, Vandthe coupling pins, e

till' ino maintaining the desired and determined 'length of thconnection between the locomotive and tender.

In the structural modiiication shown in lFig. 7, the action of gravity on the wedge, 12, is supplemented by that of a spring, 13, which bears, at one end, on a strap, 13a, secured to the lower side of the link, 1, and, at the other, ona washer, 13", fitting a downwardly projectingstem, 12b, on the wedge, the washer b eing adjustable by a nut, 1 3, engaging a thread on the stem. The specific construction of' the automatically operating adjusting member is not, however, an essential of my invention, and any other automatically operable means of taking up slack in the connecting link may be substituted, in the discretion of those skilled in the art.

I claimas my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In a locomotive and tender connection, the combination of two coupling pins, each having a spherical bearing; sockets on `the foot. plate of a locomotive and on the draw bar pin casting of a tender, respectively, in which said coupling pins are {itted; and an integral connecting member, articulated to the spherical bearings of the coupling pins.

i2. In a locomotive and tender connection, the combination of two coupling pins, each having a spherical bearing; sockets on the foot plate of la locomotive-and on the draw bar pin casting of a tender, respectively, in which said coupling pins are fitted; an integral connecting member, articulated to the spherical bearings of the coupling pins; and means for taking up wear and lost motion between said connecting member and the coupling pins.

3. In a locomotive and tender connection,l the combination of two coupling pins, each having a spherical bearing; sockets on the foot plate of a locomotive and on the draw bar pin casting oi' a tender, respectively, in which said. coupling pins are tted; an integral connecting member, articulated to the spherical bearings of the coupling pins; and automatically operative means for taking` up wear between said connectng member and the coupling pins.

4.- In a locomotive and tender connection, the combination of two coupling pins, each having a spherical hearing; sockets formed integral with the foot plat-e of a locomotive and with the draw bar pin easting of a tender, respectively, in which'said coupling pins are fitted; and a strap link 'articulated to the spherical bearings of the coupling pins. l 0

5. In a locomotive and tender connection,

the combination of two coupling-pins, each having a spherical bearing; sockets on the land means for maintaining constant bearing of said adjusting bars onthe coupling pins.

6. In a locomotive and tender connection, the combination of two coupling pins, each having a spherical bearing; sockets on the foot plate of a locomotive and on the draw bar pin casting of a tender, respectively, in which said coupling pins are itted; a strap link articulated to the spherical bearings of the coupling pins; adjusting bars fitted in' said strap link, between the coupling pins; and automatically operative means for maintaining constant bearing of said adjusting bars on the coupling pins.

7` In a locomotive and tender connection, the combination of two coupling pins, each having a spherical bearing; sockets on the foot platev of a locomotive and on the draw bar pin casting of a tender, respectively, in which said coupling pins are fitted; a strap link articulated to the spherical bearings of the coupling pins; adjusting bars fitted in said strap link, between the coupling pins; and an automatically operative adjusting wedge, interposed and movable vertically between the adjusting bars.

8. In a locomotive and tender connection, the combination of two coupling pins, each having a spherical bearing interposed between upper and lower tapered end portions; sockets on the foot plate of a locomotive and on the draw bar lpin casting of a tender, respectively, in which said coupling pins are fitted; a continuous connecting member, coupled to the spherical bearings of the coupling pins; and means for .tightening said coupling pins in their sock.

9. In a locomotive and tender connection, the combination of two coupling pins, cach having` a spherical bearing interposed between upper and lower tapered end portions; sockets on the foot plate of a locomotive and on the draw bar pin casting of a tender, respectively, in which said coupling pins are fitted; a continuous connecting member, coupled to the spherical bearings of the coupling pins; longitudinally split wedging bosses, each iitting a tapered end of one of the coupling pins; and tightening bolts bearing on said bosses and on the walls of the adjoining sockets.

HAL R. STAFFORD. Witnesses:

NELLE: J'. MCIAFEE, Vieron A. STRoNsKn. 

